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Breast Density: What You Need to Know
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW DISCOVERED THAT EXTREMELY DENSE breast tissue is associated with doubling breast cancer risk. This risk estimate is lower than offered in previous studies.
Breast density on mammograms is a well-defined risk factor for breast cancer. Some studies show an up to a six-fold increase in the chances of getting breast cancer.
Does this risk estimate apply to current breast density classification methods? Researchers aimed to clarify the density and breast cancer link.
What is breast density?
Breast density measures how much fibrous and glandular tissue (fibroglandular tissue) is in your breast compared to fat tissue. Breast density has nothing to do with breast size or firmness.
The breast is composed of milk ducts, lobules, and fatty and fibrous connective tissue. The fibrous tissue and fat give breasts their shape and size while holding other structures in place.
- Lobules are tiny milk-producing glands, while ducts are the small tubes that can carry breast milk from the lobules to the nipple.
- Fibrous tissue and fat determine the…
